Each one judged according to his own ways

Chapter 18 contains an important principle of the dealings of God,
unfolded at that period. God would judge the individual according to
his own conduct; the wicked nation was judged as such. Neither was
it, in fact, judged for the iniquity of the fathers. The present
iniquities of the people made the judgment which their fathers had
merited suitable to their own actions. But now, with respect to His
land of Israel, the principle of government laid down in Exodus 34: 7
was set aside, and souls belonging, as they did individually, to
Jehovah, would individually bear the judgment of their own sins. God
would pardon the repenting sinner. For He has no pleasure in the
sinner's death. The government of Israel on earth is still the
subject. Every one shall be judged according to his ways [1] .

Chapter 19 describes the captivity of Jehoiakim, afterwards that of
Jeconiah, and finally the complete decay of the house of David.

[1] It is important to remark that it is temporal judgment in
death which is spoken of here. The question treated of is the
allegation of Israel that they, according to the principle laid down
in Exodus, were suffering for their fathers' sins. The prophet
declares that this principle is not that on which God will act with
them, that the soul or life of every one belonged to God, one as
another, and that in judgment He would deal with each for his own
sins, not the son for the father's; and then proceeds to lay down the
principles on which He would deal in mercy and judgment; but the
judgments are temporal judgments, and the death physical death in this
world. If the wicked turned from his ways, he would live and not die
-- not be cut off for the sins he repented of; so of the wicked, he
shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him. So the soul that
sinneth, it shall die. It is not the father, nor the son because of a
father's sins; the soul or person himself that sins shall die, each
for his own. The emphasis is on "it."